Hydrocortisone treatment of early SIRS in acute experimental pancreatitis.

This work studied the effects of hydrocortisone treatment in experimental acute pancreatitis on cytokines, phospholipase A2, and breakdown products of arachidonic acid and survival. Edematous and necrotizing pancreatitis were induced in Wistar rats by cerulein hyperstimulation and retrograde intraductal infusion of sodium taurocholate, respectively. Hydrocortisone (10 mg/kg) was administered intravenously 10 minutes after induction of acute pancreatitis. Serum was assayed for phospholipase A2; interleukin (IL) 1beta, IL-6, IL-10, thromboxane B2; Prostaglandin E2; and leukotriene B4 at five different time points. A significant release of inflammatory mediators was seen only in the severe model. Hydrocortisone powerfully suppressed arachidonic acid breakdown products and only mildly attenuated the systemic increase of phospholipase A2 and pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines. The mortality rate after 72 hr in the severe model was 86%. Hydrocortisone treatment reduced mortality to 13% (P = 0.001; Fisher's exact test). Hydrocortisone seems to be effective in the treatment of the early systemic inflammatory response syndrome associated with severe acute pancreatitis.

Role of procalcitonin and granulocyte colony stimulating factor in the early prediction of infected necrosis in severe acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is the main cause of death in patients with severe acute pancreatitis. Therefore an early prediction of IPN is of utmost importance. AIM: Analysis of new blood variables as potential early predictors to differentiate between IPN and sterile pancreatic necrosis (SPN). PATIENTS: 64 consecutive patients with acute pancreatitis were enrolled in this prospective study; 29 were suffering from acute oedematous pancreatitis (AIP), and 35 from necrotising disease (NP) as diagnosed by contrast enhanced computed tomography. METHODS: Procalcitonin (PCT) and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) in the serum were examined and compared with C reactive protein (CRP). CRP was measured with a turbidimetric immunoassay (Autokit CRP; Wako, Osaka, Japan), and PCT and G-CSF by ELISA (Lumitest PCT; Brahms Diagnostica, Berlin, Germany; G-CSF-Elisa; R&D Systems, Abingdon, Oxon, UK). Monitoring was performed daily and related to the onset of symptoms. RESULTS: Within the first week, all three variables (CRP, PCT, and G-CSF) were significantly higher in patients with NP than in those with AIP (CRP, p<0.001; G-CSF, p<0. 001; PCT, p<0.001). During the course of the study, 12 of the 35 patients with NP developed late IPN after a median of 20.5 (range 3-49) days. Neither the peak nor the lowest concentrations during the monitoring period were of any value for predicting IPN (median peak values in SPN v IPN: PCT, 0.93 v 1.93 ng/ml; G-CSF, 347 v 421 pg/ml; CRP, 270 v 325 mg/l). CONCLUSIONS: Serum PCT, G-CSF, and CRP concentrations are of similar value for early differentiation between mild and severe acute pancreatitis. However, these variables are not suitable for the early prediction of IPN.

[Surgical treatment of echinococcosis of the liver]. / Chirurgische Therapie der Leber-Echinokokkose.

UNLABELLED: Echinococcosis is a parasitic disease which is most frequently located in the liver. The treatment of choice is surgery. METHODS: A total of 23 patients were hospitalised for liver echinococcosis during the period from January 1993 to September 1998. RESULTS: The diagnosis was in 20 cases (87%) cystic echinococcosis and in 3 patients (13%) alveolar echinococcosis. The regular intervention of cyst desinfection with cystectomy was carried out in 85% of the cases with cystic echinococcosis, whereas atypical or segmental liver resections were performed in 15%. Two patients with alveolar echinococcosis were operated upon by radical/extended liver resections, one was found intraoperatively inoperable. The mean hospital stay was 15.4 days with a mortality of 0% and a postoperative morbidity of 57%, including bile leaks in 30%. A perioperative antiparasitic chemotherapy with albendazole was prescribed in 91%. The apparent rate of recurrence was 7% for uncomplicated cystic echinococcosis. CONCLUSIONS: Cyst desinfection with cystectomy has been proved to be effective as the standard operative intervention for cystic echinococcosis. For alveolar echinococcosis, radical resections are required. Due to the risk of recurrence (especially in alveolar echinococcosis), the effectiveness of surgery should be improved by a perioperative chemotherapy with albendazole.